Lion banishes blokes and banter in Hahn Ultra Crisp beer campaign
Hahn Beer has launched a campaign for its rice-based ‘Ultra Crisp’ beer with an advert that banishes the ‘four Bs’ of beer marketing, according to parent company Lion.
“We were looking for something new, interesting and different,” Amy Darvill, Lion’s brand director, told Mumbrella. “No typical beer ad with four blokes sitting around a bar or barbecue. The four Bs – blokes, banter, bars and barbecues – were banished from our brief.”
The “Ultra Good Inside” campaign, created by Thinkerbell who won the account following a competitive pitch, follows the journey of a young guy on his way to a party while his head keeps changing to reveal all the different aspects of the lifestyle he leads.
Ben Couzens, chief creative thinker at Thinkerbell, said: “On the outside Hahn Ultra Crisp has a modern, urban feel and attitude to it, while on the inside it’s a great, lower carb, gluten free beer.
“We’ve created something with an arresting visual style, but also talks to the quality of the beer.
We wanted to create a unique visual feel that was darker, edgier and slightly brooding in its execution. Hahn Ultra Crisp brings a sort of punk rock mindset and bold attitude that’s refreshing in a world distracted by beach yoga and quinoa.”
The beer uses a brewing process involving rice to create a gluten free and low-carb beer with Darvill explaining: “The origins of the beer came out of Australians thinking about their wellbeing and looking for healthier options like cutting down carbs, sugar, and increasingly, gluten free.
“We had to find a way to challenge the market which had existing options that had high prices or compromised taste,” Darvill said.
“Living an active lifestyle is a massive trend that’s obviously showing no signs of slowing, yet the beer category isn’t currently bringing anything bold or meaningful to the space.”
Gerard Smith, Lion marketing director, added: “Because of its unique attributes we’ve positioned Hahn Ultra Crisp as a beer with a bold attitude that brings a bit of edge and interest to the category.”
They left a few B’s in.
Boring, banal and bullsh*t.
Sorry..but add this to the last Asahi Premium Dry effort and you would be wondering why marketing beer has become a freakshow.
My 3 B’s?
Bring back blokes.
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It is bold to make the change – and good on Hahn for having the courage to do this, but maybe the four B’s are what they are because they work.
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It’s brave and a little weird, but has definitely made me want to try the new beer…
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In the creative process, any good idea is a welcome idea however short lived. Creatively, this ad is a good idea.
There are more than enough people leaving film school now to ensure good pictures, but where is the balance? Where’s the relativity? Four Bs have ultimately become two Bs.
I don’t drink beer, but this ad doesn’t say beer to me, and many others do; then again, I am only one B and an old B at that.
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The guy ends up in a Bar where he meets with another Bloke. That’s 2Bs out of 4 in my book.
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Feels a bit like a poor mans version of the Toohey’s Extra Dry ‘roaming tongue’ TVC
If this wasn’t made by ‘super team de jour’ Thinkerbell, this would be (or should not be) getting any press.
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Talk about disappearing up your own bottom. This is absolute nonsense. It makes no sense, and isn’t even interesting. It’s really boring.
Category conventions are usually conventions for a reason. If you’re going to break them or move away from them, you need to come up with something better or more effective. This doesn’t.
Fail.
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This is a horrible commercial. Thinkerbell, you did a great job with Vegemite, but this is a stinker.
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I don’t want to be a hater but yes, this is terrible. Feels like it would have had a great strategy behind it but has translated to a very generic, confused (and confusing) execution.
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Consumer watching this ad:
“Hey, that guy has many aspects to his lifestyle – just like me! Finally, a beer that understands I have multiple interests!”
Sadly, this ad bears the marks of when strategy/multiple brand pillars/research/faux ad science wins the arm wrestle. And forgets what actually will connect with the person who buys the drink.
Tongue ad any day over this.
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Both CUB and Lion have seriously lost their way.
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Coincidentally two light beer spots fell into my inbox today. One from Lion (Hahn) in Australia and one from Miller-Coors (Saint-Archer) in the US.
Lion (Hahn)
https://youtu.be/rKQEk86PZ58
Miller-Coors (Saint-Archer)
https://youtu.be/kxdPo7qAomE
Just thought it interesting to compare.
I think one of them has a clear promise and idea. The other doesn’t and seems to lean on ‘treatments’ for a lack of either.
Yeah? Nah?
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This is trying way too hard to be cool and it misses the mark and is just terrible. It actually doesn’t make sense – what does the end line have to do with the actual TVC??? This beer will end up being a niche brand for the gluten heads and gym junkies and will die in less than 12 months. Lion have done it again – NEEEEXT.
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Tinkerbell. Dumb -bell ad.
Does not portray any of the product virtues that the client so gallantly believes it does. Idea might have had some merit – execution is naive.
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I saw it last night and instantly thought it was a Government ad against King Hits – man walks down the street with a 6 pack and a boxing glove for a head. Then the pack shot appeared. Oh dear. I don’t think you should advertise beer with boxing gloves.
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Beautifully shot, nice CGI work, love the grade! But I am a photographer so thats all I look at 🙂 haha
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2Bs or not 2Bs, that is the question.
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It’s so weird. I actually think it’s weird enough to get noticed because of how out there it is. I’m just not convinced that regular beer drinkers will bother connecting the dots as to why this guy has strange things for a head. Not sure I love it, but I definitely love that it’s not like every other ad.
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https://mumbrella.com.au/eclipse-uses-emojis-to-help-australians-escape-a-world-of-fake-connection-in-new-brand-platform-567161
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Agree. I like it a lot. Weird and may just make people think what’s going on here. Will depends if beer is good. But as far as ads go. It’s good.
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Another painfully literal execution of a “consumer insight”.
Strat Planning is supposed to be a start point, not the executional blueprint!
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Maybe it was the strategy or they just misread the brief. But this ad feels like something that would get done in the US or Europe. Australians don’t get this or want to when it comes to beer. Give us Bloke jokes at a BBQ
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So where’s the idea? To busy thinking about leaving the 4B’s out that they forgot the golden rule of a great ad…the big idea…sadly it found another 4B’s: bland, benign, boring and bullshit.
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This is utter garbage. One of the worst ads I’ve seen in a while.
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looks like Lion and CUB are competing for worst ad of the year. this slightly nudges ahead. anyone though who’s worked with this client knows they micromanage the process via committee, sapping any semblance of creativity which might have been there initially.
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Wasn’t their last ad actually called “Now we’re talking” and focused on blokes in bars having beers and banter?
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Really… had the exact opposite effect for me and my mates. What they are saying is ‘a bunch of douches drink think this and we couldnt come up with an something that would add to the bottom line so we went out all weird and freak showish’
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who approves these things…. lost me… I wont drink it now based on the stupidity of the ad. maybe stick to the facts… Ultra Crisp has a modern, urban feel and attitude to it, while on the inside it’s a great, lower carb, gluten-free beer. #fail… this chick is clueless.
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